Speaking to Russian propagandist Olga Skabeyeva, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not explicitly confirm the dispatch of North Korean soldiers, saying that "once it's necessary to make a decision, we will do so."
Dutch intelligence has confirmed that Moscow has deployed at least 1,500 North Korean troops to join the war against Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on Oct. 25.
Russia is planning to send first North Korean soldiers to combat zones on Oct. 27-28, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 25, citing intelligence reports.
"The nuclear proliferation, of course, is the biggest risk mankind faces... I think we should be very careful about what we are trying to accomplish in the next couple of years," JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to indirectly acknowledge reports of North Korean troops in Russia when speaking to foreign journalists on Oct. 24. He referred to the mutual defense clause in Russia and North Korea’s newly signed security treaty.
Key developments on Oct. 24: * First North Korean troops deployed to front line in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's military intelligence says * North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine for Russia would be 'fair game,' White House says * South Korea could 'review' ban on supply of lethal arms to Ukraine, President Yoon
The first North Korean soldiers to participate alongside Russian forces in the war against Ukraine have been deployed to the front line in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on Oct. 24.
South Korean law prohibits the exporting of weapons to active conflict zones, but Seoul has repeatedly hinted that this could change in light of deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
Beijing's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the statement despite the U.S., Seoul and Kyiv all confirming their presence in recent days.
The comments from Michael R. Turner, a long-serving member of the Republican party, are the strongest by far from a U.S. politician on the matter.
"Knowing his character Putin would never try to persuade another country to involve its army in... Ukraine,," Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with BBC.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also revealed details of U.S. intelligence assessments, saying Washington believes North Korea "moved at least 3000 soldiers into eastern Russia."
Key developments on Oct. 23: * Zelensky preparing action plan for Ukraine to withstand war, source says * North Korean troops are in Russia, US defense secretary confirms * Ukraine has stabilized situation in Toretsk, but Russia is concentrating troops in town's east, military says * UK to allocate $155 million for naval coalition
South Korea has hinted it could change its long-standing stance on not providing Ukraine directly with weapons in light of the dramatic escalation of North Korea's role in Russia's full-scale invasion. So far, Seoul has only provided humanitarian and non-lethal military aid to Kyiv, but on Oct. 22, a South
"Signs of troops being trained inside North Korea were detected in September and October," Park Sun-won, a member of a parliamentary intelligence committee, said.
The Kyiv Independent spoke with former U.K. Defense Attaché in Moscow, John Foreman CBE, about what this development might mean for the future of Russia's war and the global landscape.
Launched in September 2022 by Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, the 24-hour "I Want to Live" hotline helps Russian soldiers willingly surrender themselves or their units to the Ukrainian army.
The secret clause reportedly allowed North Korea to send the first 1,000 of its soldiers to Ukraine to gain military experience. More North Korean troops are expected to be engaged, the source told the WSJ.
"There is evidence that there are DPRK troops in Russia," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
Russia's support in nuclear capabilities includes providing technologies for smaller tactical nuclear weapons and submarine missile-launch systems, military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov claimed.
Two North Korean brigades of up to 6,000 personnel each are currently undergoing training in Russia, Zelensky said in his evening address, citing military intelligence reports. "We expect a firm, concrete response from the world."
"We are waiting for the first units tomorrow in the Kursk direction," military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said, though he did not specify how many would be deployed.
Key developments on Oct. 22: * US to provide Ukraine with another $800 million to boost domestic long-range capabilities, Zelensky says * Ukrainian drones target Russian alcohol plants overnight, local authorities claim * North Korea has sent pilots to Russia to join its war in Ukraine, Newsweek reports * South Korea considering sending military
A government official in South Korea claimed that North Korea had sent fighter pilots to Vladivostok, a city in the Russian Far East.
Speaking at a meeting attended by the Kyiv Independent, Zelensky was asked about Pyongyang's increasing support for Moscow, which in recent days is reported to have developed from just weapons to boots on the ground.
The statement is Pyongyang's first public reaction to multiple reports of such a deployment from Kyiv and Seoul.
"While watching signs of North Korea-Russia military cooperation, the response measures will be taken in steps," a government source told the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Russia's war in Ukraine is on the verge of escalating dramatically, with multiple reports, intelligence assessments, and a video suggesting North Korean troops could soon be fighting alongside Kremlin forces. While Pyongyang has long supplied Moscow with weaponry, the deployment of boots on the ground would mark a significant development
Key developments on Oct. 21: * US announces $400 million defense aid package for Ukraine * Russia detains 18 North Korean soldiers who left positions in Kursk Oblast, source says * Kremlin calls North Korean troops reports 'contradictory' but stops short of denial * Russia attacking toward town near Pokrovsk, National Guard says * Ukraine
"North Korea sending troops to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine would mark a significant escalation," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on social media following a conversation with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
"We see a lot of contradictory information," spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Russian media, the state-controlled news agency Interfax reported.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur explains the top stories of the week, from the North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia to update on Volodymyr Zelensky’s Victory Plan.
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